Extension table



March 15 1927. 1,621,083

A. RASSNICK EXTENSION TABLE Original Filed July 6, 1925 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

ABRAHAM RASSNIGK, OF ELMHURST, NEW YORK.

PATENT OFFICE.

EXTENSION TABLE.

Application filed July 6, 1925, Serial No. 41,486. Renewed. November 24, 1926.

My present invention relates to extension tables adapted to utilize loose leaves, and has particular reference to supporting means, preferably associated with the table, -for supporting the loose leaves when not 1n use.

Extension tables utilizing loose leaves or boards adapted to be removably inserted into position to extend the table are in general well-known, and it has been found desirable to provide means for storing and supporting the leaves when not in use in convenient proximity to and association with the table, and comprising in general a receptacle or compartment carried by the table in a suitable normally invisible position. Many of these receptacles are of a construction which allow insertion and removal of the loose leaves thereinto and therefrom by a sliding movement into or out of openings accessible from a sideof the table when the latter is closed. A construction of this character makes accessibility to the loose leaves rather difficult and clumsy, requiring the user to stoop and assume similarly uncomfortable positions, and requiring considerable strength and exertion on his part, particularly when the leaves are being replaced into the receptacle after having been used. The inaccessibility of such'a construction is also frequently the cause of damaging the leaves byscraping their polished surfaces or bumping theiredges. Other constructions which have been designed for the purpose of obviating these disadvantages are of such a nature that the receptacle and the leaves are accessible through the table-top when the latter is opened for purposes of extension, and generally comprise a receptacle into which the leaves may be deposited in superposed positions. In addition to the necessity for providing spacing members between superposed leaves to prevent contact and subsequent scratching of adjacent leaves, the fact that leaves of this character are in .general of uniform dimensions makes accessibility difiicult and inconvenient in the respect that a suitable and firm grasp cannot be obtained upon successive leaves during withdrawal, and cannot be retained long enough to prevent dropping the leaf during remsertion. As a result considerable exertion and strength, particularly in the fingers, of the user, is necessitated, and frequent injury not; only to the leaves themselves but toj'the fingers has been encountered.

I have attempted, in my present invention, to overcome these numerous obstacles by providing a device which allows insertion and removal of leaves with great ease in a manner absolutely preventing any damage to the leaves themselves and with the minimum inconvenience to the user; and which is at the same time of very simple and inexpensive, yet staunch, construction.

According to one feature of my invention the leaves are supported in offset position, and are preferably superposed in a manner accessible through the tablelatter is opened. Their offset he user to secure a firm ive leaf at the oppotop when disposition grasp upon eacn site ends of the 0v Another object of the vide supporting means or this character which may be closely associated with the table and which entails a minimum of extra parts and manufacturing cost. In a preferred embodiment, several elements of the normal table construction are designed to function simultaneously as parts of the leafsupporting device.

In a preferred construction, the means for supporting the leaves comprises spaced members whose juxtaposed faces are provided with complementary steps to form ledges for receiving and supporting the leaves therebetween in offset positions. The steps of one of the members are inverted so that the spacing between corresponding steps will be uniform. The last named member is provided with grooves to receive adjacent edges of the leaves, and these grooves are made of such a width that the leaves may be inserted or removed from between the supporting members by arcuate movement thereof about'the grooves.

In a preferred embodiment, the spaced supporting membersv constitute also fixed guide rails for certain of the extension rails of the table.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, 'I haveillustrated embodiments of my invention, in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig; 1 is a plan view of a table, showing the table 0pen, and the loose leaves in'their positions in the supporting device; and

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation taken along the line'i22 of Fig. 1.

It willxbe observed that thetable comprises the usual relatively movable end boards 10 and 11, supported each upon one or more legs 12, and provided with complementary engaging means such as dowel p ns 13 carried by one end and corresponding openings 14 provided in the other end. Carried underneath each of the ends 10 and 11 are the usual extension rails. In the illus trated embodiment, two rails 15 and 16 are carried by the end 10 and two rails 17' and 18 are carried by the end 11, the extension rails being slidably mounted with respect to certain fixed guide rails, to be described, and being of a length to underlie the opposite end board when the table is closed, in the usual manner.

A transverse intermediate support 19 is provided upon a centraljleg 20, and carries the outer spacedlongitudinal guide rails 21, which extend the full length of the closed table, and the inner pair of spaced guide rails 22, of approximately half the length of the guide rails- 21. The extension rails 15 and 18 are slidably guided by the outside faces of the guide rails 21, and'the extension rails l6and 17 are slidable between the guide rails 21 and the guide rails 22. For guiding purposes I have illustratively shown the guide rails 22 provided with grooves 23 in their outer faces, and the extension rails 16. and 17 provided with corresponding tongues-engaging said grooves.

The spaced. guide rails 22 constitute the spaced supporting members for the loose leaves. The juxtaposed faces of the guide rails-22are stepped in a manner as clearly shown in Fig. 2', whereby one-thereof is provided witha series of upright steps 24 and the" other thereof with a seriesof inverted steps 25 provided with grooves 26. The loose leaves 27 are supported between the members 22 with one set of adjacent edges resting upon the ledges formed'by the steps 24, and the opposite adjacent edges resting within the grooves 26.

In the illustrated embodiment- I have shown leaves provided with dowel pins- 28, wherein the pinsalone are supported within the grooves 26. The ste )s 24 are made of a suitable height to permit the leaves 27 to lie spaced from one another to prevent damage to polished surfaces, and the grooves" 26 are made of a suitable width, asclearly shown in Fig. 2, to permit a certain play therein of the pins 28.

It will be obvious that removal of the leaves successively may be effected with great facility by inserting a finger under each end. of the overhanging edge of the uppermost leaf, i. e., at the points 29 (Fig. 1) thereupon lifting that edge of the leaf: to s ving it arcuately in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) about the groove 26, until the leaf occupies a position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 whereupon withdrawa-lof the leaf from the groove 26 is a simple matter. Reinsertion of the leaf into position in the supporting device is equally simple and consists essentially of the same steps just set forth, but in reverse order. It will be noticed that the offset disposition of the leaves permits not only of quicx removal, but allows replacing of the.- leaf with great facility, and without the necessity for dropping the leaf, even at the last instant. The offset disposition of the leaves results in producing the grasping places 29 which permit effective removal and reinsertion with great facility and care of even the most delicately constructed or finished leaves.

It. will be obvious that various changes in the details as herein described and illus trated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention may be. made by those skilled in the art within the scope and principle of. the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Means for supporting extension. table leaves comprising spaced members mounted beneath the top of an extension table having complementary juxtaposed steps throughout their lengths to receive and support the leaves therebetween.

2. Means for supporting extension table leaves comprising spaced members mounted beneath the top of an extension table adapted to be carried underneath a table-top. and having complementary juxtaposed steps throughout their lengths to receive and sup.- port the leaves therebetween in offset superposed positions accessible when the table-top is open.

3. Means for supporting extension table leaves comprising spaced members mounted beneath the top of an extension table having complementary juxtaposed series of steps throughout their lengths to receive and support the leaves therebetween, one of said series being inverted to provide uniform spaces between corresponding steps.

4. Means for supporting extension table leaves comprising spaced members mounted beneath the top of an extension table having complementary juxtaposed series of steps throughout their lengths to receive and support the leaves therebetween in offset superposed position, one of said series being inverted and provided with grooves to receive adjacent edges of said leaves.

5. Means for supporting extension table leaves comprising juxtaposed spaced members mounted beneath the top of an exten sion table, one thereof having steps throughout its length to form ledges for supporting adjacent edges of the leaves, and the other thereof having inverted steps throughout its length equidistant from corresponding steps in the first named member respectively, and

being provided with rooves to receive the opposite adjacent ec ges of said leaves, whereby the latter are supported in ofl'set superposed positions.

6. In an extension table adapted to utilize loose leaves, in combination, relatively movable end boards, extension rails carried thereby, and fixed spaced guide rails for said extension rails, the juxtaposed faces of said guide rails being stepped throughout their lengths to provide opposed complemental ledges for supporting loose leaves in offset superposed positions therebetween.

7. In an extension table adapted to utilize loose leaves, in combination, relatively movable end boards, extension rails carried thereby, a transverse intermediate support, fixed spaced guide rails for said extension rails carried by said support, one of the juxtaposed faces of said guide rails being stepped throughout its length to form ledges for supporting adjacent edges of loose leaves, and the other of said faces being stepped throughout its length to provide uniform spaces between corresponding steps and being provided with grooves to receive and support the opposite adjacent edges of said leaves, whereby the latter are supported between said guide rails in offset superposed positions.

8. In an extension table adapted to utilize loose leaves, in combination, relatively movable end boards, extension rails carried thereby, and spaced guide rails for said extension rails, one of the juxtaposed faces of the guide rails being stepped throughout its length to form ledges to receive adjacent edges of loose leaves, and the other of said faces being provided with grooves throughout its length to receive the opposite edges of said leaves, whereby the latter are supported between the guide rails in offset superposed positions in a manner allowing insertion and removal of each successive leaf by arcuate movement thereof about the groove.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name this 29th day of June,

ABRAHAM RASSNIGK. 

